New Season begins September 3rd 2024 - Come and join us!
7 pm @ St. James Anglican Church Hall
About Us
Founded in 2007 by Gloria Baker, the Town Singers is a way for a talented group of amateur singers and friends from Carleton Place and surrounding area to share in making beautiful music together. From gathering in basements, the choir has continued to grow and delight audiences in the fifteen years since. Kristine MacLaren was our beloved Music Director from the early days until her tragic death from cancer in 2018. She is still deeply missed by all who knew her. Paul Norris was a member of the choir and stayed as the next music director until he moved to Iqaluit in 2021. We are very fortunate to be working with Laurel Tye as our new Music Director.
Peter Brown began in 2008 as the accompanist of the choir, and remained with us until the spring of 2022. Although he has moved on to new challenges, don’t be surprised if he shows up to play a few tunes at our next concerts! Michael Costello is our new music accompanist and like Laurel, he is a well known musician in Carleton Place.
Our choir is a 4 part, non auditioned choir. The group started with 15 members and is now as many as 90 members strong! Many of our members sing in their church choirs, participate in our community theatre, The Mississippi Mudds, or perform solo for different events in the area.
We welcome new members at the start of the fall or spring sessions, which begin the first Tuesday after Labour Day, and the first Tuesday every February. From each session the choir rehearses weekly on Tuesday evenings from 7-9 pm at St. James Anglican Church, 225 Edmund Street, and performs two yearly concerts at the All Nations Church: a Christmas concert and a Spring concert. We're also often called upon for occasional performances within the community throughout the year. Please watch our website, Facebook page, or talk to members about our choir or concerts, and come share your love of music with us!
Our Choir Director - Laurel Tye
We welcome Laurel Tye as our new Music Director. Laurel is well known in Carleton Place through her many years working with The Carleton Place Mudds and the Mudds Junior. Laurel’s love of music comes from a childhood richly rooted in music. Her father was a musician and composer and encouraged her to sing and perform. Laurel studied education and music in university at the universities of Windsor, Toronto, and Ottawa. Laurel worked in the Ottawa Carleton District School Board first as a music teacher, and later as a principal. She has directed many choirs, musicals, and has led the Mississippi Mudds through thirty years of wonderful shows! Laurel is delighted to join us as we start up again after our Covid sabbatical! | Our Accompanist - Ian Guenette
Ian Guenette is an organist, pianist, accompanist, choral conductor, and church musician. Raised in Carleton Place, Ian began taking piano lessons at age 7. When he was 13, Ian discovered the Pipe organ and started studying with the Organist of Notre Dame Cathedral-Basilica, Jennifer Loveless in Ottawa. After completing High School, Ian moved to Montreal, in order to attend McGill University, studying organ with Professor Hans-Ola Ericsson, a prominent and world-renowned Swedish organist. While at McGill, Ian sang in the McGill University Choir under the direction of Prof. Dr. Jean-Sebastien Vallee. He also played harpsichord in Early Music Ensembles, and participated in many workshops with world-renowned organists such as Jean-Pierre Leguay, Olivier Latry, and Jonathan Oldengarm. Currently, Ian is the Director of Music and Organist at St. James Anglican Church in Carleton Place. Ian’s future endeavours include attending the University of Ottawa to obtain a Bachelor of Education. As an accompanist, Ian was accompanist for the Arnprior Community Choir for 5 years before joining the Carleton Place Town singers as their accompanist. He also has accompanied shows for the Mississippi Mudds of Carleton Place, including the sold out production of 'The Sound of Music' in spring 2023. Upcoming and current projects include accompanying the CAMMAC Ottawa Valley choir for their fall concert presenting John Rutter’s Requiem and other works by Healey Willan, Amroz Copi, and Harry Somers. In the fall of 2023, Ian will begin as the director of the Almonte Workshop choir. |
